Special thanks to Raela_The_Echo for the SIX Golden Tickets
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"Thank you, Miss Rebecca. It has been a long time." Elysia replied, her smile remaining on her face.
"Very well, Lady Elysia, if you must know. I am also an orphan, my parents died a long time ago when I was a child." Rebecca stated.
"Oh, I am sorry about that." Elysia replied, feeling sorry for the woman.
Rebecca chuckled, waving her hand. "Thank you, My Lady, it has been so long, that I cannot recall how they looked." Rebecca joked.
Elysia continued to smile. "I guess we are both alike, completely alone in this world." She said.
Rebecca's eyes softened. "I believe so, at least we have each other. I will always be here for you if you ever need me."
The governess words warmed Elysia's heart. "Thank you, Miss Rebecca." She said, keeping her voice soft.
"Very well, Lady Elysia, I believe we've indulged in emotions long enough. It's time to begin your lessons, there's much to cover." Rebecca clasped her hands together, motioning for Elysia to take her seat.
Elysia watched the woman's poised movement, the way she carried herself with confidence and grace, her shoulders held high and her back straight. Elysia was Intrigued, she did wish she had such composure and flow.
She watched the woman pull out a book, flipping through the pages, her eyes scanning the words on the pages. While Elysia fought the urge to slouch, the woman in front of her did not appear to be uncomfortable with her straight back and posture. Elysia wondered how long it took for her to get used to sitting like that.
"I just checked your previous work and you have done pretty well. Your writing is not perfect yet, but it is readable." Rebecca said, her eyes still on the book.
Elysia bit her lips, refraining herself from smiling, it felt good to be complimented. "My reading is still poor." She said, causing the governess to look up at her.
"Oh, perhaps I should test that, would you like to read something for me?" Rebecca asked.
Elysia nodded her head, watching the woman pull out another book and flip through the pages, at almost the middle of the book, she held it and turned it around, pushing the book towards Elysia. "I want you to read the last paragraph. Take your time." The governess added.
Elysia drew in a shaky breath, her hands already beginning to sweat, Rebecca noticed her discomfort and placed a hand on Elysia's hand. "Take your time, you can do this." She mouthed, a smile on her lips.
Elysia smiled at the woman, nodding her head lightly, before fixing her gaze back on the book in front of her. She began to read, "Having such a beau-tiful wife was some-thing the new Lord had not plan-ned for, ending up with serious wounds after a gh-ghas-ghastly acci-cident, he had tho-ught he would die an unmarried man. His new wife was a viscoun-tess, an only daughter of the prev-ious vis-count." Elysia pressed her lips in a straight line when she was done.
Rebecca clapped her hands twice, cheering Elysia on. "That was beautiful, My Lady, I did not expect you to be able to read so well. You do have problems pronouncing longer words, but that can be easily fixed." Rebecca said.
"Thank you, Miss Rebecca, you are so kind." Elysia responded, folding her hands on her thighs.
"You are welcome, My Lady, we will begin that tomorrow, how about we do something fun this afternoon? What would you like to do?" Rebecca asked.
Elysia hesitated for a few seconds before speaking. "There is something I also want to learn, you are a confident woman. I want to be able to have such confidence, with my back straight and my head held high. I want you to teach me how to achieve that." Elysia said, pressing her lips in a thin line.
"Oh, that is wonderful. I am more than happy to teach you." Rebecca replied, joining her hands together.
Elysia smiled, "What do we start with, Miss Rebecca?" She inquired excitedly, Elysia felt like a child who was going to be given cookies.
"Firstly, you have to stand up. I need you to stand here." Her governess said, raising to her feet and pointing to the spot she wanted Elysia to stand.
Elysia did as she told, patiently waiting for further instructions from the woman.
"Straighten your back, Elysia," Her governess instructed, her tone soft yet encouraging. "You must embody grace and poise, if you want to be graceful and elegant." She added.
Elysia obeyed, lifting her chin and aligning her shoulders. She had always admired the elegance of the titled women. "I do not think I am fit for this." She suddenly said, feeling dread in her stomach, elegance was for titled women not slaves, a voice whispered in her head.
Rebecca turned to her, her expression softening. "Nonsense, Elysia. You are a royal and a woman, you will always be fit for this."
Elysia nodded, taking in her governess words. She took a deep breath, trying to stop the anxiety churning in her stomach.
"Good, Now, let us practice your mannerisms," Rebecca continued, stepping back to observe her closely. "A royal must never fidget. Hands at your sides, or clasped in front. Maintain eye contact, but don't stare."
Elysia followed her instructions, forcing her hands to stay still. "What if I forget?" she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Then you will remember that you are strong, and strength comes from within." Rebecca stepped closer, adjusting Elysia's posture again. "You need to feel confident in your own skin. Let your presence command respect."
With that, Miss Rebecca began to demonstrate different postures. She stood tall, shoulders back, and moved gracefully across the room, her every movement deliberate and fluid. Elysia watched in awe as Rebecca moved.
"Now you try," Her governess said, her voice filled with encouragement. "Imagine you are walking into the ballroom alone, a ballroom filled with people of high status. Hold your head high."
Elysia took a deep breath and attempted to emulate her governess elegance. She stepped forward, her heart racing as she imagined the eyes of everyone in the ballroom upon her. "Like this?" she asked nervously.